By Megan Lowry

Adolescents need to be heard to ensure that health programs that serve them are reaching them effectively, according to Promoting Positive Adolescent Health Behaviors and Outcomes, a report released last December by the National Academies. Following its own advice, the committee that wrote the report recently hosted a listening session to discuss feedback from hundreds of adolescents across the country who weighed in on the report through the University of Michigan’s MyVoice program. The webinar featured three of those young people: Tampa resident Jayde Frederick, 20, who plans to become a physician; Xochitl Amaro, 19, who lives in Chicago and plans to work in public health; and Abby Frank, 14, a high school sophomore in Ann Arbor who also wants to work in medicine.

What Makes Youth Programs Work?

“She made me think, ‘If she can do it, I can do it’” — Jayde Frederick, 20, Tampa

Having the opportunity to participate in a variety of youth programs has largely been a positive experience, exposing them to mentorship, future career options, and new ideas, the young women agreed. “It’s really eye-opening and helps you know what you want to do,” Jayde said.

All three emphasized that the best programs let them interact with whatever subject or skill they were exploring. “I personally connect with people and stories … the best speakers are people that share their journey and the struggles they went through,” said Jayde, who expressed how she was inspired by a doctor who spoke at a high school program about her experiences — including how she dealt with obstacles in school and sexism in the workplace. “She made me think, ‘If she can do it, I can do it.’”

How Can Youth Programs Be Better?

“Youth have a lot to say, especially about things that affect them.” — Xochitl Amaro, 19, Chicago

Giving youth a role in designing and giving feedback on programs can make them better. “Youth have a lot to say, especially about things that affect them,” said Xochitl, and programs could do a better job of reflecting what young people actually want to get out of them. Abby added, “All these programs are formed by adults, and I think it’s really important that those adults don’t assume they know what kids want those programs to be.”

They also emphasized the value of honesty and openness. “Lots of programs assume you don’t want to know everything, and keep the worst stuff to the side,” Abby said. She recalled how last summer she visited a retirement home as part of a volunteer program, and she met a woman with Alzheimer’s who repeated the same story over and over. “I wish that afterwards the program directors explained how to be supportive and respectful … but instead we just moved on to the next project.” Xochitl agreed: “When these programs are honest about what it’s really like to be in these situations … it can be an eye-opener to see that what you thought you wanted to do isn’t really what you wanted to do.”

Inclusivity is another trait that can improve youth programs. Xochitl said, “Accessibility is something that’s really important to think about,” and it was factor that had impacted her own experiences. Jayde said that she valued the opportunity that some programs had given her to meet people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and opinions. “Even if you didn’t agree with what someone was saying, I was glad they were there to show me why they think that way.”

Can Taking Risks Be a Good Thing?

“Either way, it’s a learning opportunity, whether it’s a healthy or unhealthy risk.” — Abby Frank, Ann Arbor

The most effective adolescent health programs treat risk-taking as normal, according to the National Academies report. Programs should help youth learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy risks, and develop the skills to deal with those situations.

In feedback through the MyVoice program, the committee heard from youth that the word risk usually carries a negative connotation, and that choosing a different phrase like “opportunity” or “new experience” could clarify the report’s finding.

Abby thought using the word risk is important, because “either way, it’s a learning opportunity, whether it’s a healthy or unhealthy risk.” Jayde pointed to media portrayals of risk as consistently dangerous or unhealthy for young people, and said, “It’s our job to change that, and promote the narrative that risk is not always a bad thing.”

Jayde added that “being able to come to your own conclusions or come to a different opinion from someone,” especially your family, can be a healthy risk in adolescence. Abby said she took a new risk just that morning: “I started learning Mandarin today, because I decided I wanted to be able to speak with my best friend’s parents, who don’t know English.” They said the COVID-19 pandemic in many ways had forced them to take risks with their routines and try new things as their lives changed abruptly, such as new exercises or spending more time with friends outside.

Without efforts to meaningfully engage youth, it is too easy for youth programs to miss the mark, noted Tammy Chang, a practicing physician and health services researcher at the University of Michigan and member of the committee. “Youth are experts of their own lives and experiences, and having the opportunity to listen and learn from them during this session was unique, important, and should happen more often.”

Read the report’s Highlights for Youth.